2019

Understanding history – Building for the Future

Around the world there are museums specialising
in the progress of computers, from the first little embryo to the hypermodern
computers of today. You can easily state the fact that the progress in the
computer business has been extremely fast. The development up until today has
no counterpart. For any normal person to understand the width of this progress
there is a number of different museums around the world showing it to us, and
they are well worth a visit!

Understanding history – Building for the Future

Peek & Poke

The Peek
& Poke museum is a technology museum I Rijeka in Croatia. The museum is
run on a non-profit basis since establishing in 2007. The project of this
museum started with the initiative of members from a local association of enthusiasts.
The name, Peek & Poke comes from a common command in data processing and
used in the language among programmers. The long-term goal for the museum was
to create a gathering for computer enthusiasts. At the time of establishing the
museum it was the first in Croatia and one of a kind all over Europe. The area
at more than 300 square meters, and the permanent exhibition containing more
than 1000 products represents both local and international computer history. Among
the collections you can find everything from small calculators, gaming consoles
and really old and rare computers. The oldest computers in the collection are
from the beginning of the ‘60s. In the museum there is also a corner for
recreation where visitors can read magazines relevant to the development in the
world of computers.

IT-Ceum

IT-Ceum is situated in the middle of Sweden, in Linköping. The museum opened in 2004 and is the biggest and the only museum in Sweden focusing on computer related history. The project started as a cooperation between the university of Linköping and the industry giant SAAB. The goal for the activity at IT-Ceum is to shine a light on then, now and the future when it comes to computers. Easily explained; where the presence of computers has been crucial.

The National Museum of Computing

The National Museum of Computing

In England, in Milton Keynes, you can find a large museum housing the largest collection of fully functioning computers from history until today. The flagship of the museum is the Colossus, the first electronic computer in the world, and WITCH, the oldest working digital computer. This museum makes it possible for the visitors to follow the development in pioneering technique. From the top-secret inputs in the 40´s, during World War II, through the great computers in the 50´s and 60´s until the development in home computers with the big impact and increase in the 80´s. Besides the possibility to visit the museum, private persons can also join in educations. The museum runs a successful teaching programme targeting schools and universities. Through the programme they create possibilities for young people to be inspired in education on computers and code. The National museum of Computing is an independent actor solely responsible for their finances and contacts. The museum is also responsible for all administration and through their independence they have a very high credibility towards the schools and universities that they are collaborating with. Today, the museum has several active exhibitions. Among these you can find a lot of good information on how the British computer companies Acorn, Amstrad and Sinclair started their businesses and how they have made it through history.